1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automobile assembly line and transferring system to assemble auto-parts to an automobile body after the automobile body has passed the painting process.
2. Description of the Related Art
In conventional systems, an automobile assembly line utilized following a body painting process comprises a straight automobile body transferring line with a constant transferring speed of the body for mass production of automobiles as prerequisite.
Methods different from the above mentioned automobile assembly line have also been disclosed. For instance, Japanese laid-open patent publication 7-277239 introduces several derivative branch lines in the way of the straight automobile body transferring line, by which same type automobiles are assembled temporally apart from the main assembly line of mixed type automobiles.
For instance, FIG. 2 indicates an automobile assembly line to assemble various auto-parts to the automobile body after the body has passed the painting process. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 31 indicates an instrument panel assembling process. Reference numeral 32 indicates a window glass assembling process, 33 an underslung parts assembling process, 34 an interior finishing process, 35 a tire and door assembling process. The automobile assembly line comprises assembling various auto-parts to an automobile body and transferring such assembled automobile body according to an order of assembling processes of 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35.
The interior finishing process 34 differs greatly according to kinds of automobiles to be assembled. For instance, interior finishing process 34 is separated to three groups according to kinds of automobiles. Each derivative branch line is indicated by reference numerals 341, 342, and 343, respectively.
However, there are pointed out following demerits in conventional automobile assembly line.
(1) Large scale production is a prerequisite for the assembly line. Accordingly, the assembly line does not fit to smaller scale production.
(2) The assembly line requires greater installation cost.
(3) Wider space is required. The assembly line cannot be in smaller spaces.
(4) The assembly line is too large to use as an accessory line to the main assembly line.
The present invention is made to overcome the problems as described in the foregoing. The present invention comprises a first transferring means of a closed loop line including many automobiles transferring carriages and a second transferring means of a closed loop line including many automobiles suspension frames. The first transferring line and the second transferring line are connected each other at one location where each automobile is tranferable from the first transferring line to the second transferring line, or vice versa. The assembly line according to the present invention can offer a plurality of auto-parts assembling lines and such assembled automobiles transferring lines in small space layouts in the way of main automobile assembly line.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing situation. The assembly line according to the present invention comprises a plurality of transferring carriages on which the automobiles are placed and supported during transferring operation, a first transferring means including a first closed loop transferring line to carry each transferring carriage in consecutive order, the first transferring means being comprised of many stations where auto-parts are assembled to the automobile body at each station, a plurality of transferring suspension frames under which the automobiles are suspended and supported during the transferring operation, a second transferring means including a second closed loop transferring line to carry each unit of suspension frames in consecutive order, the second transferring means being comprised of many stations where auto-parts are assembled to the automobile body at each station, and a transferring means to transfer the automobile body from said transferring carriages of the first transferring means to said suspension frames of the second transferring means at least at one location provided where said first transferring line and said second transferring line run in parallel at upper and lower sides.
The automobile assembly line according to the present invention includes an automobile supply station at one place of the first transferring means through which each automobile is transferred to said first transferring means after said automobile body passes the painting process.
The automobile assembly line according to the present invention includes an automobile take-out station at one place of the first transferring means-or the second transferring means through which each automobile is taken out toward a following third transferring means.
The third transferring means is provided following the automobile take-out station. The third transferring line includes auto-parts assembling stations. Auto-parts can be assembled to the automobile body at every station of said third transferring line. All assembled automobiles are taken out from said take-out station of the third transferring means and transferred to an inspection site for assembled automobiles.
The assembly line according to the present invention comprises self-movable transferring carriages of the first transferring means and self-movable suspension type transferring frames units of the second transferring means.
An upper surface of the transferring carriage in the first transferring means is horizontally supported so that workmen may work on it. At least at one location where the first transferring line of the first transferring means and the second transferring line of the second transferring means run in parallel at upper and lower sides, each transferring carriage and each unit of suspension frame run synchronously.
An automobile transferring system according to the present invention comprises a plurality of body transferring operations between the first transferring means including the first transferring line of a loop line to carry a plurality of the transferring carriages and the second transferring means including the second transferring line of a loop line to carry a plurality of the transferring units of suspension frames. Also, the automobile transferring system comprises various short assembly lines selectively combined with an upper surface assembling operation and over head assembling operation.